Wits lecturer wins Two Oceans Marathon

8 April 2015 - By Wits University

Caroline Wöstmann, a senior lecturer in the School of Accountancy, was the first woman over the finish line in the 46th annual ultra marathon on Saturday, 4 April 2015 and the first South African since 2001 to win the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. She finished in 03:41:23 winning R250 000.

This achievement comes barely a year after Wöstmann earned the country’s admiration at the 2014 Comrades Marathon where she came in sixth place and became the first female South African to finish the race after the first five positions were claimed by runners from the UK and Russia. The Comrades Marathon is the world’s oldest and largest ultra marathon run over a distance of approximately 90km between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal.

This accomplishment captured the attention of the South African Sports Minister, Fikile Mbalula, who described Wöstmann as a “superwoman”.

Of her latest victory, the Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Adam Habib, was full of praise and said: "I think that it is a wonderful achievement. Caroline makes all of Wits proud."

The dedicated runner juggles many roles. A mother of two, she is also a chartered accountant and teaches finance and management accounting at Wits where she trains the next generation of chartered accountants.

Congratulatory messages have poured in for Wöstmann from news agencies, politicians, family, friends and proud Witsies. She continues a long tradition of athletic and professional excellence at the University whose sporting greats include Bruce Fordyce, Bob de la Motte, Jan Mallen to name a few.

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